Words By ‘LLERO Editors
Is it possible to bring democratic socialism to one of Latin America’s most conservative countries? On January 27th the country of Honduras took one giant leap in doing so. It was the day Xiomara Castro Sarimiento was sworn in as the President of Honduras.
The 62-year-old Castro became the first ever woman president of the country. A democratic socialist she was victorious in the November 2021 Honduran elections garnering over 51 per cent of the vote. No stranger to politics, Castro is a former first lady of the country. Her husband former President Manuel Zelaya led Honduras from 2006 to 2009 before being ousted by a military coup d’état.
It was this moment that served as the catalyst for her career in politics. She led the efforts to resist the movement, bringing thousands of citizens to the streets in protest and resistance. The movement became known as known the National Front of Popular Resistance (FNRP). FNRP would eventually form the basis for the political party Libre. Castro became the representative for the left-wing of the party and running as the party’s candidate for President in 2013 and 2021.
In a country where the divide between the “haves” and “have nots” is tremendous, bringing equity is a tall order. But Castro seems up to the task. In her inaugural address,
Castro, she stated she had a duty to restore an economic system based upon among other things social justice in the distribution of wealth. It’s a vow she seems intent on making good on. As she has already implemented an energy policy in which those who consume under a certain metric per month of electricity, will no longer pay – the additional expense. Well that now goes to the biggest consumers in the form of an extra charge on their bills.
If you had to sum up Xiomara Castro, perhaps the bio on her Twitter feed says is best, simply stating “Madre, abuela y esposa. Presidenta Constitucional de la República de Honduras.”